Day 3

Arcadia Lesson Plan

Discussion of Thought Questions

1

What does Septimus realize when Thomasina tells him that Lord Byron talked about his negative review of "The Maid of Turkey"?

(5 minutes)

At the top of the scene, Septimus is responding to an angry letter from Mr. Chater, and when Thomasina tells him that Byron described the review at breakfast, he realizes that Mr. Chater learned that he was the one who wrote a negative review of his previous poem, which makes him doubt Septimus's intentions to write a positive review of "The Couch of Eros."

2

What is the significance of Thomasina's speech about Cleopatra and the great library of Alexandria?

(10 minutes)

Thomasina's complaint is that Cleopatra's indulgence in sex and romance led...